Total pages in book: 38
Estimated words: 36039 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 180(@200wpm)___ 144(@250wpm)___ 120(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 36039 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 180(@200wpm)___ 144(@250wpm)___ 120(@300wpm)
“No, I cleaned away what was … rotting.”
“Gross. Wow, you wouldn’t know how bad this place is from the outside, would you?” she asked.
“I’ve got the electrician coming tomorrow. The plumber has already started to make progress.”
“I think we will need to call on the pack,” she said. “There’s no way this is going to be habitable for some time.” She hated to even suggest this. “I’ll ask my parents if you can come and live with us while we get this place up to scratch.”
“Ashley, you don’t need to do that.”
“Actually, I really do, because this is not good. None of this is good.” She sighed and felt bad for not asking him about his home. “It’s such a shame.”
“What is?”
“Well, from the outside this place is amazing. It looks like it needs a good spruce up, but the inside is so messed up.” She locked her fingers, turned them out, and then gave them a crack. “I think the best thing for us to do is clean up. Remove all the cobwebs, the leaves, and give us something clean to work with.” She checked the stairs. “Is it as bad upstairs as it is down?”
“Yep. The only difference is, most of the walls are intact.”
“Okay, fine. I’m going to start upstairs and work my way down.”
She had come equipped with cleaning products. She wasn’t going to stand around doing nothing. This was going to need way more hands than just the two of them. She took her duster along with her bucket and brush and headed upstairs. There were no carpets anywhere. It looked like they’d been ripped up or taken by whatever wildlife had gotten in.
This was not good, but she had to start somewhere, so she went with the biggest mess of all—the bathroom. Starting with the bathtub in the corner, she worked at cleaning it. There was no running water, so instead of washing anything, she focused on getting the debris and cobwebs out. She had been working for ten minutes when Phoenix joined her.
“I think it makes sense for us to work together.”
In close proximity. That wasn’t good. She hadn’t forgiven him, and she didn’t truly believe the explanation he’d given as to why he’d rejected her.
“We’ll get through everything a little faster if we split up,” she said, trying to create space between them.
“True, but I think this is better and then we can work through each room together, just in case, you know…”
“In case what?”
“Something … you know, runs out, or scares you, or anything,” he said.
“I don’t scare easily.”
“So if there’s a rat or roaches?” he asked.
She wasn’t going to lie—the very thought of encountering either one grossed her out, but she had a job to do. “I’ll deal with it.” She could scream or do a horrible dance around the place because they made her feel gross. Anything would be better than being close to her … mate. Phoenix being close was not good.
Her wolf was happy with him being close but she didn’t want to be. He rejected her. Time had passed. Regardless of his reasons, which she didn’t believe, there was not a future for them. She wanted to leave and start a new life, regardless of what her parents wanted.
No, you don’t. You want to stay with your pack. You love your pack.
She sighed, because it was the truth.
“Fine.” She could ignore him. She’d been playing the avoidance game for years. Nothing wrong with doing so again, even in a small bathroom.
Using her brush, she started at the top wall and ran it across, bringing with it the hanging cobwebs, all the leaves, everything. She used her small scooper to draw it out of the bathtub. There was a horrible brown stain all around creating a rim. She stepped back, hitting the sink, which suddenly fell, causing her to take a leap back and right into Phoenix’s arms.
He wrapped his arms around her, trying to keep her balanced. “I’ve got you,” he said.
“You can let go now.”
“But I like holding you.” His grip seemed to tighten even more and she couldn’t help but close her eyes as her body went into hyperdrive. She felt her nipples tighten and her pussy grow slick.
This was not fair. She wanted him. Her body was a traitor to her mind. She refused to give in to him. Not now, not ever. He’d hurt her. His cruel words had stayed with her for so long, she didn’t think she would ever get over them. Part of her hoped she could, but she didn’t know how.
She patted his hand. “Let me go. We’ve got work to do.”
He didn’t do as she asked just then, but eventually he did and stepped away. She missed his touch straightaway, which only annoyed her.
“Okay, so we can now condemn the bathroom sink,” she said.